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Next week, House of Sparky will begin our "#SunDevilMoments" tournament, featuring the 16 best moments from the athletic season. This week we will introduce all 16 seeds, then reveal our match-ups where you, the reader, will vote on what was the ASU athletics Moment of the Year.
The Arizona State Sun Devils men's basketball team held a 19-point lead over the Oregon State Beavers after a dominant first half. The Sun Devils looked nothing like a team that lost six of its last seven games, but they weren't the reason why fans inside Wells Fargo Arena were buzzing.
Few things can keep fans in an arena during a 20-point blowout.
One of those things -- rather, 18 of those things -- happens to be gold medals, all of which were on display when Michael Phelps paid a visit to ASU's Curtain of Distraction.
With 13:47 remaining in the game and ASU holding a 51-28 lead, it was time. Oregon State's Stephen Thompson, Jr. was about to shoot two of the strangest free throws of his life. Once he received the ball, it happened. Phelps emerged from the depths of the curtain, accompanied by two members of the 942 Crew, and ripped his shirt off to reveal all 18 of his gold medals and just as many abdominal muscles.
Thompson missed the first free throw, but Phelps wasn't finished just yet.
When the unknowing and unlucky freshman readied himself for his second shot, Phelps reappeared and tore off his pants to reveal a speedo.
And there was the greatest Olympian ever - swim cap, speedo, and 18 gold medals, jumping and hollering with the rest of the ASU contingent, and celebrating when Thompson missed his second free shot. Another win for Michael Phelps.
ASU ended up winning the game by 18 points, but Phelps was all the buzz.
After the game, head coach Bobby Hurley said it was the first time he had made sure to watch the Curtain of Distraction. ASU guard Gerry Blakes also mentioned that the medals almost distracted him during the game. All-around, the night was a success.
Not only was Phelps there, but he participated in a goofy, only-in-college type of gimmick. And not only did he participate, but it actually worked.
Afterward, the national media was buzzing with clips of Phelps in a speedo, swim cap and 18 pieces of proof that he's the greatest swimmer ever.
Even though the game itself ended up being ASU's fourth-to-last win of the season, one could say Phelps certainly made a splash in Sun Devil Nation that night.
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We saw Phelps' cameo in the Curtain of Distraction as the seventh best moment from the ASU athletic season, however, it will be up the readers to see how far it goes in our #SunDevilMoments bracket.